Mail-pouch-delivery apparatus.



G. W. BROUGHTON. MAIL POUCH DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909. I

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m l /268565 A G. W. BROU'GHTON. MAIL P011011 DELIVERY APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1909.

938,821. Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

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UNITE STA CHAUNCEY W. BROUGl-ITON, OF CARLTON, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-POUCH-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHAUN OEY W. BROUGH- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Carlton, in the county of Dekalb and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMail-Pouch- Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact specification.

This invention relates to devices for holding a mail pouch in positionto be delivered to a passing mail car, and while it is capable ofgeneral application or use in connection with mail car apparatus ofvarious forms, it is more especially designed for use in conjunctionwith mail car apparatus having means for closing an electric circuit atthe station or on the road bed as the car approaches the pouch to bereceived upon the car. An apparatus of the car referred to is shown inmy United States Patent No. 880,008, issued February 25, 1908, to whichreference may be had for an understanding of the kind of electricalmechanism above referred to.

In many instances all forms of standards or posts or other projectionspermanently situated between the tracks or adjacent thereto areobjectionable and are proscribed by the railroad companies. One of theobjects of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved mailpouch support which will be capable of holding the mail pouch at therequired elevation to be received upon the car while the car is pass ingand to receive a pouch from the car, and which will assume a recliningposition lengthwise of the track after the car has passed, and a furtherobject is to automatically raise the post or support to its erectedposition by mechanism upon the car in ample time to enable the pouchcatching device upon the car to catch a pouch therefrom and to deliver apouch thereto.

A further object is to provide an improved means for holding the devicesat the station and upon the car which are adapted to both receive anddeliver the mail pouch substantially parallel with the car so that thedevices will not engage each other, and improved means for holding themail pouches one in advance of the other.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the device uponthe car will be permit-ted to yield in a direction toward 5 the car.

To the attainment of these ends and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. January 6, 1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Serial No. 470,899.

accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, theinvention consists in the features of novelty in the construction,combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingsillustrating the embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a mail pouch support embodying this invention, showingit in an elevated position, the elec trical devices being illustrateddiagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the support in itshorizontal position. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper end of the standardshowing one form of pouch supporting arms. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic viewshowing a modification of the invention and particularly illustratingthe relative positions of the devices at the station and upon the carwhen the car is passing. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the devices shownin Fig. 4, showing the respective supporting arms for the mail pouchlocated in different planes and the magnets upon the arms being alsolocated in different planes.

In carrying out the invention there is em ployed a post or standard 1which is arranged adjacent to the track upon which the car travels whenreceiving the pouch. This standard is mounted at its lower end upon apivot 2 in a suitable base or pedestal 3, and is provided with acounter-weight 4 to counter-balance the upper end of the standard andhold it from moving violently when descending. to its horizontalposition shown in Fig. 2, the preponderance of weight at the upper endof the standard being suflicient to cause it to gravitate to thehorizontal position when not otherwise restrained. lVhen the standard israised to its full erected position, it will be slightly inclined to theperpendicular so that when not restrained it will automaticallygravitate to its horizontal position. To this end it may be providedwith a lug 5 adapted to strike a stop 6 on the pedestal 3 when itreaches its full erected position. A spring or cushion 7 on the groundbeneath the standard when lowered may also be provided, if desired, torelieve any possible shock resulting from its too sudden descent. Untila mail car approaches the standard lies prone in the posit-ion shown inFig. 2', but upon the approach of the car, the standard is automaticallyraised by electrical devices which will now bedescribed.

A solenoid 8 of any required length and strength may be provided havinga core 9 which is connected by a cable or other flexible connection 10to the standard 1 at 11, a pulley 12 being fixed to the pedestal 3 forcausing the cable to pull in a downward direction should it be necessaryto arrange the core 9 in a horizontal position as shown. From the pointwhere the pulley 12 is situated, the cable 10 passes upwardly and aroundthe lower rounded end of the standard 1, so that when the circuit 13 ofthe solenoid is closed, the standard will be elevated by the solenoidassisted by the counterweight 4. This circuit 13 may be closedautomatically' by any suitable device upon the car, such, for example,as shown in my aforesaid patent; and if desired, current may be suppliedto the circuit as in that patent, from storage batteries carried uponthe through the brushes 14: carried on the car and contacting with twotrack conductors or rails 14, with whichthe circuit wires 13 areconnected respectively, these track conductors or rails 14, as will beunderstood, being continued throughout that portion of the line oftravel of the car during which it is desired to raise the standard 1 andkeep it elevated.

The mail pouch may be supported on the standard 1 by any suitable means.In the exemplification of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the upper endof the standard is provided with a rotary head 15 pivoted on a pin 16and provided with sockets 17, 18, for the introduction of pouch holdingarms or devices which will project horizontally toward the car. Thepurpose of pivoting this head is to enable the pouch holding arms ordevices to yield in the direction of movement of the car when the pouchreceiving devices upon the car strike the pouch on said arms. As thestandard 1 rises from its prone posi tion, however, with the pouch uponthe pouch supporting arms, the weight of the,

pouch would rotate the head 15 and its arm into a position lengthwiseorsubstantially lengthwise of the track, and in order that this may notoccur, in this exemplification of the invention the head 15 is providedwith some suitable means for locking it in position until it is raisedto its erected position. For this purpose, there is provided a bolt 19mounted upon the standard 1 and forced into position by a spring 20 whenthe standard leaves its erected position. This bolt is withdrawn as thestandard is about to assumerits full erected position by a cordor cable21 attached to the bolt atone end, and after passing around a pulley 22on the standard, is attached as at 23 to the pedestal 3 or otherfixture. As the standard rises, the pulley 22 deflects the cord 21against the rounded hub 24 of the standard, as shown in Fig. 1 andthereby withdraws the bolt 19.

car 7 As in the aforesaid patent, the standard 1 may be utilized as ameans both for holding a pouch preparatory for delivery to a passing carand for receiving a pouch from the car. hen utilized for the formerpurpose, the sockets 17, 18 will be used for supporting ordinary pouchsupporting arms, such as arms 25 shown in Fig. 3, the same being similarto the supporting arms shown in the aforesaid patent, or any othersuitable arms will stand in position almost lengthwise of the track atthat time, so that instead of clashing against one another they willpass 7 while in vertical planes substantially lengthwise of the line ofmovement and the arms of the respective device being arranged indifferent horizontal planes, the bag to be delivered by the respectivearms will be held out of engagement with each other and spacedoneslightly in advance of the other as the bags are removed from therespective devices. V

In Fig. 4 there is shown diagrammatically the relative positions of thepouch receivin and delivering arms for both the station an the car andfrom which it will be seen that the arms on the car stand at a slightangle to the side of the car 28 and inclined rearwardly, while the armsat the station also project at a slight angle but not sufiiciently tocause the arms on the car to clash therewith. The arms on the car aremounted upon a rotatable head 27 and consist of bars 28, 29, spacedapart to accommodate the magnet 30 between them, and one of these arms,preferably the arm 29, has an extension 31 for supporting the mail pouch'31 in position to be delivered to the station. The end of this arm 31may be provided with an elastic figure or stop 32 for preventing thepouch from slipping off ac-' cidentally. The head 27 may be mountedrotatably upon the car in any suitable manner, such, for example, asshown and described in the aforesaid patent and it may also be actuatedby the means described in said patent, that is, it may be pulled intoposition shown in Fig. 4 by means of a spring 33 and a cable 34 asdescribed in the patent, or they maybe pulled from this position intothe car as the door opens in I wardly by means of a cable 35 connected 1therewith and one end of the cable may be operated in the mannerdescribed in the prior patent by automatic means within the car. \Vhenin the position shown in Fig. 4 ready to deliver a pouch to and receivea pouch from the station, the arms on the car may be locked againstoutward movement in any desired or suitable manner, which locking meanswill permit the arm to yield inwardly toward the car when the mail bagon the station device engages the magnet on the device on the car. Forthis purpose there may be provided a stop 36 which cooperates with ashoulder 37 on the head 27 so that when the arm is in the position shownin Fig. 4 the shoulder 37 will engage the stop 36 and hold the armagainst outward movement but when pressure is exerted upon the arm in adirection toward the car the shoulder 37 will move away from the stop 36and when the pressure is relieved, the spring 33 will automatically movethe shoulder 37 again into engagement with the stop 36.

The magnets 30 may be energized in any suitable manner such as themanner shown in the aforesaid patent so that when the magnets areenergized they will attract the armature or magnetic mass 38 carried bythe pouch 40 on the station device while the magnets 30 are passing thelatter.

The station device is also provided with a plain supporting arm 41similar to the arm 31 and upon which the pouch 3S hangs when it is to bedelivered to the magnet 30 on the car. This arm 37 is preferablyconnected by supports or arms 42 with a rotatable head 43 pivotallymounted upon the standard 1 so as to be capable of rotation whereby itmay be presented in either direction according to the direction oftravel of the car to which or from which the pouch is to be delivered.To the end that the head may be held in the proper position the standard1 is provided with bolts or stops 44 slidably mounted thereon in such away that either may be lifted to the plane of rotation of the arms 42for limiting their outward swing. The lower end of each bolt 44 has aprojection 45 capable of being passed over a stop 46 on the standard forholding the bolt against dropping down out of engagement with the arm38. Any suitable means may be provided for automatically returning thehead 43 and arm 41 to a normal position parallel with the track when thebolts 44 are out of operative position. F or this purpose there may beprovided an elastic member 4, one end of which may be secured as at 48to the standard 1 and to the other end is secured a flexible member 49such as a cable or the like which is secured as at 50 to the head 43 andsuitable pulleys 51 may be provided through which the cable 49 passes sothat when the head 43 the pulleys 51 to create a tension on the,

elastic member 47 so that when the bolts 44 are moved to release thehead, the tension on the elastic member 47 will automatically move thehead to its normal position.

The device at the station is. substantially a duplicate of the device onthe car excepting that the arm 41 is set in a higher plane than the arm31 so that the arm 31 will pass under it and the armature of the pouchwhile supported by arm 37 will be in position to be attracted by themagnet 30. The armature 52 of the pouch 31 when supported by the arm 31will be in a position to be attracted by the magnet 53 carried by thehead 43 at the station and which magnet 53 is located in a lower planethan the magnet 30 whereby the magnets will pass each other withoutaffecting each other and the arms will pass each other without clashing.

Fig. 4 also shows diagrammatically a circuit and source of electricalenergy for the magnet 53, and the battery being indicated at 54, thecircuit wires at 55, and a switch at 56.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is not concernedwith the means of energizing the magnets on either the car or on thestation devices and hence instead of the manual switch 56 the automaticmechanism of the patent above referred to may be employed if desired.

lVhen the post or standard 1 lies prone, as shown in Fig. 2, the head 43is of course rotated until the arm 41 stands crosswise of the line ofmovement of the car in the same position as the arms 17, 18 in Fig. 2.

With this improved construction it will be apparent that when theautomatic mechanism in the ear is operated to set the device upon thecar, the spring 33 will draw the receiving and delivering arm to such aposition as to cause the shoulder 37 on the head 27 to engage the stop36 and this spring will also serve to hold the arm against windresistance and the stop also serves as a means to prevent the arm on thecar from moving past its operative position.

It will also be apparent by placing the arms on the car and at thestation substantially parallel they will not clash as the car ispassing, and furthermore the mail pouches will be held one in advance ofthe other for some distance, thereby preventing the wind from blowingthe mail pouches together, which might be the case it they were helddirectly opposite each other and in a line at right angle to the car.

I claim:

1. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a mailpouch support adapted to hold the mail pouch at an elevated position andto also approach a position close to the ground when not in use,

means for automatically raising the said. support to its elevatedposition, and means on the car for actuating said elevating means.

2. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a mailpouch support adapted to hold a mail pouch in an elevated position andalso to descendto a position close to the ground when not in use,electromagnetic devices for raising said supportto its elevatedposition, and means on the car for actuating said electromagneticdevices.

3. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a pivotedstandard for supporting a mail pouch, adapted to turn downwardly whennot in use, means for elevating the standard to its erected position,and means on the passingrcar for actuating said elevating meansautomatically.

4t. In a device for the purpose described, the combinationot a pivotedstandard for supporting a mail pouch adjacent to a railway track adaptedto turn downwardly lengthwise of the track, means for elevating saidstandard to its erect-ed position, and means on the car for actuatingsaid elevat ing means as the car passes.

5. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a pivotedstandard for supporting a mail pouch adjacent to a railway track, saidstandard being adapted to turn downwardly when not in use and pro videdwith a yielding member adapted to move in the direction of movement ofthe mail car, means for locking said yielding member against yieldingmotion when the standard is out of its erected position, and means forunlocking said yielding member as the standard is erected. r

6. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a pivotedstandard for supporting a mail pouch adjacent a railway track, a rotaryhead pivoted on the end of said standard and provided with mail pouchsupporting means, said standard being adapted to turn downwardly whennot in use, a lock for locking said head against rotary movement whenthe standard is turned downwardly, and means for automatically unlockingthe said head as the standard is erected.

7 In a device for the purpose described, the combination of anelectromagnet adapted to be carried on a movingcar, a pouch providedwith an armature, and means for holding said armature out of butadjacent the line of movement of the magnet on the car.

8. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of anelectromagnet adapted to be supported on a moving car, a mail pouchprovided with an armature adapted to be attracted by said magnet, and anarm for holding said pouch loosely while the car is passing, projectingin the direction of movement of the car.

'o'sa'sai ported in unison with said magnet for" loosely sustaining amail pouch to be delivered to a station, a magnet supported at thestation for receiving a mail pouch from said arm, said magnet beingarranged in a lower plane than said arm, and an arm at the station forsupporting a mail pouch to be de livered to the magnet on the car, thelast said arm being in a plane above the magnet on the car.

10. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a magnetadapted to be supported upon a moving car, and an arm supported inunison with said magnet for loosely sustaining a mail pouch to bedelivered to a station, said arm being also adapted to catch anothermail pouch otherwise supported.

1.1. In a device for the purpose described,

the combination of an electro-magnet, a support for the magnet pivotallymounted on a moving car, a stop for limiting the pivotal movement of thesupport in one direction, means for yieldingly holding the support inengagement with the stop, a mail pouch provided with an armature adaptedto be attracted by said magnet, and an arm for holding said pouchloosely while the car is passing, projecting in the direction ofmovement of the car.

12. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of anelectro-magnet, a support for the magnet pivotally mounted on a movingcar, a stop for limiting the pivotal movement of the support in onedirection, means for yieldingly holding the support in engagement withthe stop, an arm supported in unison with the magnet, a mail pouchprovided with an armature supported loosely by the arm, a magnetsupported adjacent the track, a mail pouch provided with an an mature,an arm supported in unison with the magnet for loosely holding the pouchwhile the car is passing, said arms being substantially parallel witheach other, and one of the arms projecting in the direction of movementof the car.

13. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of anelectro-magnet, a support for the magnet pivotally mounted on a movingcar, an arm supported in unison with the magnet, a mail pouch providedwith an armature supported loosely by the arm, a magnet supportedadjacent the track, a mail pouch provided with an armature, an armsupported in unison with the magnet for loosely holding the pouch whilethe car is passing, said arms being substantially parallel with each.other, and one of the arms projecting in the direction of movement ofthe car, one of said arms being supported in a plane above the otherarm.

14:. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of aneleotro magnet, a support for the magnet pivotally mounted on a movingcar, an arm supported in unison with the magnet, a mail pouch providedwith an armature supported loosely by the arm, a magnet supportedadjacent the track, a mail pouch provided with an armature, an armsupported in unison with the magnet for loosely holding the pouch whilethe car is passing, said arms being substantially parallel with eachother, and one of the arms projecting in the direction of movement ofthe car, one of said magnets being supported in a plane below the othermagnet.

15. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of anelectro-magnet, asupport for the magnet pivotally mounted on a movingcar, an arm supported in unison with the magnet, a mail pouch providedwith an armature supported loosely by the arm, a magnet supportedadjacent the track, a mail pouch provided with an armature, an armsupported in unison with the magnet for loosely holding the pouch whilethe car is passing, said arms being substantially parallel with eachother, and one of the arms projecting in the direction of movement ofthe car, one of said arms being supported in a plane below the other armand one of said magnets being also supported in a plane below the othermagnet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 4th day of January A. D.1909.

' CHAUNCEY N. BROUGHTON.

Vitnesses J. H. JooHUM, Jr., M. V. OANTWELL.

